The present invention relates to systems and methods associated with data modems and data communication.
Personal computer users currently have two distinct options to access the internet, dial-up modems and high-speed data connections, such as digital subscriber loop (DSL) and cable-modem services. The high-speed data connections provide faster data rates and increased performance. In addition, the high-speed data connections have an advantage of being xe2x80x9calways onxe2x80x9d, i.e. they do not require a user to wait during the process of dialing-up and then establishing a connection to the far end data equipment, thereby leading to faster startup user access. A disadvantage of the high-speed data connections is that these services utilize more complex technology and have higher costs than dial-up modems.
It would therefore be desirable to provide a data connection service that removes the inconvenience of the dial-up process associated with dial-up modems and at a lower cost than DSL and cable-modem high-speed services. Accordingly, there is a need for improved systems and methods of providing data communications.
The present invention is directed to systems and methods associated with data modems and data communication.
In a particular embodiment, a system is disclosed that includes a data modem to communicate data over a dedicated data communication twisted pair line. The modem includes a dedicated data initialization module. The dedicated data communication twisted pair line is coupled to the modem at a near end and is coupled to a data line card at a far end.
In another embodiment, the system includes a modem aggregator including a plurality of data ports configured to carry data traffic associated with dedicated remote data modems. The modem aggregator further includes shared data processing resources to process data traffic with respect to the plurality of data ports. The modem aggregator is coupled to a high-speed data connection. The system also includes a data transport packet network responsive to the modem aggregator and coupled to the high-speed data connection.
In another embodiment, the data modem aggregator system includes a plurality of data ports configured to communicate data traffic, shared data processing resources to process the data traffic communicated over the plurality of data ports, and a high-speed multiplexed output responsive to the plurality of data ports and the shared resources. The data traffic is carried over dedicated data twisted pair lines;
In another embodiment, the system includes a data modem to communicate data over a dedicated data communication twisted pair line. The data modem includes a dedicated data initialization module. The dedicated data communication twisted pair line is coupled to the modem at a near end and is coupled to a data line card at a far end. The data line card is within a digital loop carrier.
In another embodiment an apparatus is provided. The apparatus includes a data modem to communicate data over a dedicated data communication twisted pair line. The data modem includes a dedicated data initialization module and modulation front-end. The modulation front-end is configured to utilize voice-band frequencies and frequencies above the voice-band frequencies.
In another embodiment, a method of initializing a data modem connection is provided. The method includes detecting power-on of the data modem, handshaking from the data modem with a far end connection, negotiating a data rate with the far end connection, and communicating data between the data modem and the far end connection over a dedicated data twisted pair line. Each of the above steps in the initialization process is performed without receiving a dial tone and without dialing digits over a public switched telephone voice network.
In another embodiment a method of providing a data service is disclosed. The method includes coupling a dedicated data carrier line to a modem aggregator and activating a data service to be provided using the dedicated data carrier line.